System Medical Director of Employee Health

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The West Virginia University Health System, the state’s largest health system and largest private employer, comprises 18 hospitals throughout the state and bordering states. In addition, it includes five institutes, as well as providing management services for other local hospitals through affiliate agreements.

Whether you are caring for our patients at one of the critical access hospitals, community sites, regional or academic medical centers, we are all one WVU Health System.

Work Here. Thrive Here.

Additional Job Description:

 

POSITION DESCRIPTION

 

JOB TITLE & CODE:

Medical Director - WVUHS Employee Health Services

DEPARTMENT:

Employee Health Services, WVUHS

REPORTS TO:

Chief Quality Officer, WVUHS

FLSA STATUS:

Exempt

                                   

 POSITION SUMMARY:   The Medical Director of Employee Health provides system-level clinical leadership and oversight for employee health services across WVU Health System. This physician leader is responsible for advancing a comprehensive, evidence-based employee health program that promotes the health, safety, and well-being of the Health System's workforce while supporting regulatory compliance, infection prevention, occupational health, workforce readiness, and organizational resilience.

 

The Medical Director partners with Human Resources, Infection Prevention and Control, Employee Relations, Occupational Health, Risk Management, Quality and Patient Safety, Medical Staff leadership, and operational leaders across WVU Health System to establish consistent employee health standards, policies, clinical practices, and performance expectations.

 

This role will provide strategic direction for employee health services across hospitals, ambulatory locations, physician practices, post-acute services, and other WVU Health System entities. The Medical Director will serve as a subject matter expert and physician resource for issues involving occupational medicine, communicable diseases, employee exposures, workplace health and safety, vaccination programs, employee medical clearance, and other workforce health matters.

 

The Medical Director will also help shape the future of employee health as a strategic component of workforce retention, employee engagement, safety, and organizational performance.

 

The position is expected to require 80% administrative effort with the remaining 20% effort devoted to clinical practice.

 

Scope of Leadership

The Medical Director will provide clinical leadership across WVU Health System's employee health infrastructure and will work collaboratively with local leaders and designated employee health professionals to ensure consistent implementation of system standards.

 

The role will have enterprise-wide influence and accountability for the clinical strategy, standards, and quality of the employee health program, while operational reporting relationships and local service delivery structures may vary by entity.

 

Position Statement

WVU Health System is committed to creating a work environment in which the health, safety, and well-being of employees are fundamental to achieving our mission of exceptional patient care, education, research, and community service. The Medical Director of Employee Health will play a critical role in advancing this commitment by integrating physician leadership, occupational health expertise, prevention, clinical quality, and workforce strategy into a comprehensive systemwide employee health program.

  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE:

1.

Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from an accredited medical school.

2.

Board certification in Occupational Medicine, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Infectious Diseases or another specialty or subspecialty appropriate to the responsibilities of the position.

3.

Current unrestricted medical license in West Virginia or eligibility for licensure.

4.

Ability to work effectively with physicians, clinical leaders, executives, HR professionals, and operational leaders.

EXPERIENCE:

1.

Demonstrated clinical experience relevant to occupational medicine, employee health, preventive medicine, infection prevention, or workforce health.

2.

Demonstrated leadership experience in a healthcare organization.

 

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE:

1.

Master's degree in Public Health, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or related field.

EXPERIENCE:

1.

Experience leading employee health or occupational medicine services within a large health system.

2.

Experience developing systemwide clinical standards, policies, and governance structures.

3.

Experience with employee wellness, population health, workplace safety, or public health.

4.

Experience leading organizational change and clinical integration across multiple facilities.

5.

Experience with healthcare quality improvement, clinical analytics, and performance measurement.

 

CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position.  They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties.  Other duties may be assigned.

1.

System Employee Health Leadership

·       Provide physician leadership and clinical oversight for the WVU Health System employee health program.

·       Develop and maintain a systemwide vision, strategy, and operating framework for employee health services.

·       Establish consistent clinical standards, protocols, policies, and evidence-based practices across the Health System while allowing for appropriate local operational differences.

·       Partner with executive and operational leadership to identify emerging employee health needs and develop proactive strategies.

·       Serve as a system-level physician advisor and subject matter expert regarding workforce health and occupational medicine.

·       Evaluate the effectiveness, accessibility, quality, and efficiency of employee health services across the enterprise.

 

2.

Occupational and Employee Health

·       Provide clinical guidance related to employee medical evaluations, work-related injuries and illnesses, occupational exposures, communicable diseases, and return-to-work determinations.

·       Provide oversight and guidance for employee health screening and medical surveillance programs based on regulatory, occupational, and clinical requirements.

·       Establish appropriate protocols for pre-placement and post-offer health assessments, immunization requirements, respiratory protection, tuberculosis screening, bloodborne pathogen exposures, and other occupational health requirements.

·       Develop and maintain evidence-based protocols for the management of employee exposures to infectious diseases, hazardous materials, blood and body fluids, and other workplace risks.

·       Provide physician consultation for complex employee health cases and fitness-for-duty concerns.

·       Collaborate with appropriate leaders regarding reasonable restrictions, work accommodations, and safe return-to-work processes while maintaining appropriate confidentiality and regulatory compliance.

 

3.

Infection Prevention and Workforce Safety

·       Partner closely with Infection Prevention and Control to develop and implement strategies that protect employees and patients from communicable diseases and occupational exposures.

·       Provide physician leadership during outbreaks, emerging infectious disease events, and other workforce health emergencies.

·       Provide guidance regarding employee vaccination programs and immunization requirements.

·       Participate in system preparedness and response planning for pandemics, emerging infectious diseases, and other public health events.

·       Collaborate with Workplace Safety, Risk Management, and other stakeholders to identify and mitigate occupational health risks.

 

4.

Clinical Governance and Standardization

·       Establish clinical governance structures and accountability for employee health services throughout WVU Health System.

·       Develop systemwide clinical guidelines and protocols based on current evidence, regulatory requirements, and applicable professional standards.

·       Monitor adherence to employee health standards and identify opportunities for improvement.

·       Establish appropriate quality, safety, access, and clinical performance metrics.

·       Review employee health outcomes and trends and make recommendations to improve workforce health and safety.

 

5.

Employee Wellness and Population Health

·       Collaborate with Human Resources, Benefits, Population Health, and other leaders to align employee health strategies with broader workforce well-being initiatives.

·       Identify opportunities to improve employee health, reduce preventable illness and injury, and support a healthy workforce.

·       Support initiatives addressing workforce health risks, absenteeism, injury prevention, and employee well-being.

·       Use workforce health data and population health principles to identify opportunities for targeted interventions.

·       Promote an employee health philosophy focused on prevention, early intervention, accessibility, and evidence-based care.

 

6.

Leadership and Collaboration

·       Develop strong partnerships with HR leadership, hospital and practice leadership, nursing leadership, medical staff leaders, Infection Prevention, Employee Relations, Risk Management, Legal, Quality, Safety, and other system functions.

·       Serve as a trusted clinical advisor to senior leadership on employee health issues.

·       Participate in relevant system committees and leadership forums.

·       Build effective relationships with local employee health leaders, occupational health providers, and other clinical partners.

·       Facilitate communication and collaboration among employee health teams across WVU Health System.

·       Promote a culture in which employee health and safety are viewed as integral to patient safety and organizational success.

 

7.

Regulatory and Compliance

·       Ensure employee health programs are designed and operated consistent with applicable federal and state laws, accreditation standards, and regulatory requirements.

·       Maintain awareness of requirements from organizations and agencies including OSHA, CDC, CMS, The Joint Commission, state health authorities, and other applicable regulatory bodies.

·       Provide clinical guidance related to regulatory surveys, audits, and employee health compliance.

·       Partner with Legal, Compliance, Risk, and HR to appropriately address complex employee health matters.

 

8.

Data, Analytics and Continuous Improvement

·       Establish meaningful employee health dashboards and performance measures.

·       Monitor trends in occupational injuries, exposures, communicable diseases, vaccination compliance, employee health encounters, work restrictions, and other relevant indicators.

·       Use data to identify opportunities for prevention, standardization, cost reduction, and improved workforce outcomes.

·       Lead or sponsor continuous improvement initiatives within employee health services.

·       Evaluate opportunities to leverage technology and integrated data systems to improve employee health access, documentation, communication, and reporting.

 

9.

Education and Professional Development

·       Provide education to physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, managers, and employees regarding occupational health and workforce safety.

·       Develop educational programs addressing emerging employee health issues and occupational risks.

·       Promote evidence-based clinical practice and professional development among employee health clinicians.

·       Represent WVU Health System at professional, academic, and community forums as appropriate.

 

10.

Leadership Expectations        

The Medical Director is expected to:

·       Demonstrate visible, credible physician leadership.

·       Promote a culture of safety, service, accountability, and respect.

·       Build consensus across a complex, integrated health system.

·       Balance clinical excellence, employee experience, regulatory requirements, and financial stewardship.

·       Lead through influence and collaboration rather than relying solely on positional authority.

·       Champion system standardization while recognizing appropriate local needs.

·       Communicate effectively with both clinical and administrative leaders.

·       Maintain a strong commitment to confidentiality, professionalism, and ethical practice.

 

11.

Core Competencies

·       Physician Leadership

·       Occupational and Employee Health

·       Clinical Governance

·       Strategic Thinking

·       Population Health

·       Infection Prevention and Control

·       Workforce Safety

·       Regulatory and Compliance Knowledge

·       Change Leadership

·       Collaboration and Relationship Building

·       Data-Driven Decision Making

·       Communication

·       Executive Presence

·       Continuous Improvement

 

12.

Key Performance Indicators

Success in this role may be evaluated through measures including:

·       Standardization and effectiveness of employee health practices across WVU Health System.

·       Employee health regulatory and compliance performance.

·       Timeliness and quality of employee exposure management.

·       Employee vaccination and health screening compliance.

·       Occupational injury and illness trends.

·       Employee health access, service experience, and responsiveness.

·       Reduction in preventable workplace health risks.

·       Implementation of systemwide employee health initiatives.

·       Clinical quality and safety outcomes.

·       Engagement and effectiveness of employee health teams.

·       Successful integration of employee health data and reporting.

·       Financial stewardship and appropriate utilization of employee health resources.

 

 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1.

 

2.

 

3.

 

 

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1.

Standard office environment

  

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1.

Problem solving, teamwork, consensus building, and developing innovative solutions.

2.

Ability to handle unusual, demanding and unrelated tasks.

3.

Strong organizational skills.

4.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

5.

Ability to work and function in a matrix organization.

6.

A management philosophy that exemplifies accountability, integrity, self-awareness, respect for others,

collaboration, willingness to share and teach, customer service orientation, and commitment to excellence in all endeavors.

 

 WVU Medicine is the clinical and academic health enterprise of West Virginia University and stands as the state’s largest health system and private employer. Founded in 1996 to unify academic medicine, clinical care, and community health initiatives, WVU Medicine has grown into a regional powerhouse with 30 hospitals across West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. It includes specialized institutes, such as the WVU Cancer Institute, WVU Critical Care and Trauma Institute, WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, WVU Eye Institute, and the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, and employs over 47,000 people. With more than 3,260 beds, the system delivers comprehensive care, ranging from primary services and advanced procedures like robotic cardiac surgery to mobile cancer screenings.

The foundation of WVU Medicine is deeply rooted in the history of West Virginia University, which began offering medical education in 1869. The School of Medicine evolved from a two-year program in 1912 to a full four-year medical school by 1960, thanks to a unique “pop tax” on soft drinks that funded its expansion. Over the decades, the WVU Health Sciences Center has grown to include schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health, serving more than 2,500 students.

West Virginia University & University Health Associates are an AA/EO employer – Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran – and WVU is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity.

 

JR26-46780

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Shift:

Exempt/Non-Exempt:

United States of America (Exempt)

Company:

UHA University Health Associates

Cost Center:

8067 UHA Medicine Infectious Diseases

Address:

1 Medical Center Drive

Morgantown

West Virginia

Equal Opportunity Employer

 

University Health Associates and its subsidiaries (collectively "UHA") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. UHA strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All UHA employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.